So this has been.my favorite song of OTEP's since it came out in 2004, and I always thought it was a song about a child's narrative of suffering in an abusive Christian home. But now that I am revisiting the lyrics, I am seeing something totally new.
This song could be gospel of John but from the perspective of Jesus.
Jesus was NOT having a good time up to and during the crucifixion. Everyone in the known world at the time looked to him with fear, admiration or disgust and he was constantly being asked questions. He spoke in "verses, prophesies and curses". He had made an enemy of the state, and believed the world was increasingly wicked and fallen from grace, or that he was in the "mouth of madness".
The spine of atlas is the structure that allows the titan to hold the world up. Jesus challenged the state and in doing so became a celebrated resistance figure. It also made him public enemy #1.
All of this happened simply because he was doing his thing, not because of any agenda he had or strategy.
And then he gets scourged (storm of thorns)
There are some plot holes here but I think it's an interesting interpretation.
I decline
To walk the line
They tell me that I'm lazy
Worldly wise
I realize
That everybody's crazy
A woman's voice reminds me
To serve and not to speak
Am I myself or just another freak
Don't you know
There's fire in the hole
And nothing left to burn
I'd like to run out now
There's nowhere left to turn
With a cough
I shake it off
And work around my yellow stripe
Should I hide
And eat my pride
Or wait until it's good and ripe
My life is boiling over
It's happened once before
I wish someone would open up the door
Don't you know
There's fire in the hole
And nothing left to burn
I'd like to run out now
There's nowhere left to turn
To walk the line
They tell me that I'm lazy
Worldly wise
I realize
That everybody's crazy
A woman's voice reminds me
To serve and not to speak
Am I myself or just another freak
Don't you know
There's fire in the hole
And nothing left to burn
I'd like to run out now
There's nowhere left to turn
With a cough
I shake it off
And work around my yellow stripe
Should I hide
And eat my pride
Or wait until it's good and ripe
My life is boiling over
It's happened once before
I wish someone would open up the door
Don't you know
There's fire in the hole
And nothing left to burn
I'd like to run out now
There's nowhere left to turn
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It seems to be about the author's experiencing frustration at his 'day job' as he works to support himself and his share of band expenses. The 'to serve and not to speak' is literal and an instruction to him as as a waiter. Perhaps a part time on call sort of job, like serving for a caterer at private dinners.
He told he is lazy because he is not pursuing the standard American dream through a corporate job. Get a degree, get a job, save money, get married, buy a starter home, ... etc. He questions his perspective of him self and his direction. Chooses to let the unspoken message of the work directive go. It is not so much 'do your job right' but the latent message of the person delivering the message. A quiet 'your soup Sir' is not sop bad an infraction or intrusion into the diners experience. But the message given is more; I'm like them, I'm above you, spoken by a person who feel inferior to the customers and takes it out on the 'flunkies', part timers, whose complain won't lodge with anyone. The duality of the song, this specific work experience seems to cross to his life in general. It has happened before. And that is why there is nothing left to burn. Blow up at boss, lose job, get another lame job, cash checks. Practice, create, struggle for gigs, ... So he's mad but there is no reason to speak his mind. Just get through the shift.
I could do a better more detailed job but I've got to go serve and not speak.